Project description
Modelling cancer progression
Predicting cancer evolution is paramount for optimal care for each patient. Biomechanistic models simulate how tumours grow by combing cell biology, mechanics and biophysics. However, clinical decisions are made on the basis of tumour progression responsible for lethality. The ERC-funded DIGIPRO project will create a new class of multiscale models to uncover the missing biophysical mechanisms linking growth and progression of prostate cancer. Researchers will develop structured models that integrate spatial, temporal and biological dimensions, enabling early detection of microscopic progression. They will construct digital twins of cancer progression, aiming to transform cancer monitoring and improve patient outcomes.
Objective
The personalization of oncology needs predictive methods to anticipate major pathological events and optimize clinical care for each patient. To address this critical demand, computational oncology has produced biomechanistic models for patient-specific cancer forecasting. Although these models are based on cancer growth (increase in extension), the main driver of potentially lethal disease and, hence, the basis for clinical decisions is cancer progression (increase in malignancy). However, despite known correlations between cancer progression and growth, the biophysical mechanisms that explain how cancer progression emerges and alters cancer growth remain unknown. DIGIPRO will address this crucial gap in knowledge. I will build a new class of biomechanistic models to describe the multiscale dynamics of cancer progression, enable its early detection at microscopic stage by using macroscopic clinical data, and construct clinically-practical digital twins to optimally adapt cancer monitoring for early detection of progression. To achieve this ambitious goal, I will focus on newly-diagnosed prostate cancer and (i) build novel micro and macroscale models jointly describing cancer growth and progression using a structured formulation over space, time, and malignancy dimensions; (ii) pioneer a multiscale structured model equipped with a mechanistic learning operator that uses macroscale model-based biomarkers of progression to reconstruct the microscale cancer malignancy profile; and (iii) combine adaptive and immersed isogeometric methods, reduced order models, and multi-objective risk-based optimization to construct practical digital twins of cancer progression and explore optimization of cancer monitoring. Thus, DIGIPRO will push the frontiers of cancer modeling, biology, and care, while also opening new horizons in mechanistic modeling of multiscale progressive phenomena in medicine (e.g. Alzheimer’s disease, atherosclerosis) and engineering (e.g. fracture, damage).
Fields of science (EuroSciVoc)
CORDIS classifies projects with EuroSciVoc, a multilingual taxonomy of fields of science, through a semi-automatic process based on NLP techniques. See: The European Science Vocabulary.
This project's classification has been human-validated.
CORDIS classifies projects with EuroSciVoc, a multilingual taxonomy of fields of science, through a semi-automatic process based on NLP techniques. See: The European Science Vocabulary.
This project's classification has been human-validated.
- engineering and technology medical engineering
- natural sciences computer and information sciences knowledge engineering
- natural sciences computer and information sciences computational science
- medical and health sciences clinical medicine oncology
- natural sciences mathematics applied mathematics mathematical model
Keywords
Project’s keywords as indicated by the project coordinator. Not to be confused with the EuroSciVoc taxonomy (Fields of science)
Project’s keywords as indicated by the project coordinator. Not to be confused with the EuroSciVoc taxonomy (Fields of science)
- computational oncology
- mathematical oncology
- tumor forecasting
- patient-specific
- mechanistic models
- biomechanics
- computational mechanics
- isogeometric analysis
- digital twins
- mechanistic learning
- physics-informed machine learning
- reduced order models
- multiscale models
- phase field models
- advection-reaction-diffusion partial differential equations
Programme(s)
Multi-annual funding programmes that define the EU’s priorities for research and innovation.
Multi-annual funding programmes that define the EU’s priorities for research and innovation.
-
HORIZON.1.1 - European Research Council (ERC)
MAIN PROGRAMME
See all projects funded under this programme
Topic(s)
Calls for proposals are divided into topics. A topic defines a specific subject or area for which applicants can submit proposals. The description of a topic comprises its specific scope and the expected impact of the funded project.
Calls for proposals are divided into topics. A topic defines a specific subject or area for which applicants can submit proposals. The description of a topic comprises its specific scope and the expected impact of the funded project.
Funding Scheme
Funding scheme (or “Type of Action”) inside a programme with common features. It specifies: the scope of what is funded; the reimbursement rate; specific evaluation criteria to qualify for funding; and the use of simplified forms of costs like lump sums.
Funding scheme (or “Type of Action”) inside a programme with common features. It specifies: the scope of what is funded; the reimbursement rate; specific evaluation criteria to qualify for funding; and the use of simplified forms of costs like lump sums.
HORIZON-ERC - HORIZON ERC Grants
See all projects funded under this funding scheme
Call for proposal
Procedure for inviting applicants to submit project proposals, with the aim of receiving EU funding.
Procedure for inviting applicants to submit project proposals, with the aim of receiving EU funding.
(opens in new window) ERC-2025-STG
See all projects funded under this callHost institution
Net EU financial contribution. The sum of money that the participant receives, deducted by the EU contribution to its linked third party. It considers the distribution of the EU financial contribution between direct beneficiaries of the project and other types of participants, like third-party participants.
15001 La Coruna
Spain
The total costs incurred by this organisation to participate in the project, including direct and indirect costs. This amount is a subset of the overall project budget.